Year 1, Fall, First Month, Fourth Week.
The night cloaked Caiset Village in a blanket of stillness, disrupted only by the rhythmic thudding at Chief Omero's hut. The makeshift wooden plank door vibrated in resonance with the urgency of the knocks.
Chief Omero, roused from his sleep, felt a knot of apprehension in his stomach. No one would disturb the stillness of night without grave reason. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Diana on his doorstep.
"What's happened?" Omero's voice trembled slightly. The sight of Diana, tears streaming down her face, broke through his stoic pretense.
He had always held her to a strict discipline, never allowing the girl to show her weak side. But now, as she wept in his arms, he was reminded of her youth, her humanity.
Gathering her composure, Diana recounted the harrowing events in the forest. She spoke of the tough decision to leave Carion behind, her voice cracking under the weight of responsibility and grief. The beasts they had hunted were vital for the village's survival and they couldn’t leave their meat behind to free enough space and weight to carry the boy.
Exhausted, the team had trekked back to the village without rest, driven by grief and fear of remaining outside. The journey, usually manageable in daylight, became an arduous trek through the darkness, their pace slowed by fatigue and the heaviness of their hearts.
Encountering a pack of grey wolves on their way, Diana's ferocity in defending the group sent the predators fleeing.
Omero quickly organized helpers, intending to keep the village asleep, but the commotion roused the villagers. Curious, they gathered at the village square, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the beasts on the LCs.
The villagers, initially anxious, soon erupted into cheers. Parents rushed to envelop their children in warm, relieved embraces, momentarily pushing aside the haunting memories of the forest. However, the mood quickly changed as Carion's parents arrived, frantically searching for their son amidst the crowd.
"Carion! Carion! Where is my boy? Did he hurry ahead to surprise us?" Carion's mother's voice trembled with hidden fear, her eyes darting around in desperate search.
The team members, burdened by guilt and grief, couldn't bring themselves to meet her gaze. Karl felt a knot in his stomach tighten.
With a somber expression, Chief Omero stepped forward and said. "I am deeply sorry. They lost Carion in the forest. He bravely sacrificed himself for the safety of our village."
The words struck Carion's mother like a physical blow. She crumpled to the ground, her sobs piercing the night air. Carion's father, his face oscillating between grief and anger, knelt beside her, silently embracing his wife. His heart harbored a growing resentment towards the team, particularly Diana, fueled by Carion's past complaints about her leadership.
Diana stood there, her heart heavy with guilt. She knew the weight of leadership meant carrying the burden of every team member's life, including Carion's. Despite their differences, she had never wished harm upon him. She pondered over what might have been if she had insisted on Carion taking a defensive role.
Karl, overwhelmed by exhaustion and the day's grim events, excused himself. His parents' concerned voices trailed after him as he retreated into the solace of his home, longing for the escape that only sleep could provide. His mind was still too weary to process their questions.
***
Lew's breaths came in quick, sharp gasps as he narrowly evaded another razor-sharp dive from the relentless sparrow. His muscles tensed, ready for the split-second reactions needed in this dance of death.
The razor sparrow, a wind beast, dived again with lethal precision, its movements a blur. But Lew wasn’t one to be easily outmaneuvered. He rolled to the side, the bird's talons missing him by inches, and countered with a swift, awkward slash of his sword. His blade met flesh, and the bird let out a pained screech, its flight faltering.
He knew well of the razor sparrow's reputation. A second-rank LT wind beast, deadly not for the power of its attack alone but for its sheer speed and suddenness. Alone, they were manageable; in a flock, they were a nightmare made flesh.
Breathing heavily, he stayed alert, his eyes scanning the sky. True to their nature, more sparrows swooped in, their dives as swift and deadly as the first. Lew's body moved on instinct, rolling, ducking, his sword a flashing arc of steel. Three more sparrows fell, but their numbers seemed endless.
A pained cry from behind made his heart race. He spun around, ready to aid a comrade, but the scene that unfolded before him halted him in his tracks. The flock had descended on the fallen fighter, each bird tearing away with its deadly beak. The gruesome sight churned Lew's stomach, but he had no time to dwell on it.
Another sparrow dove towards him. With a grunt, he sidestepped its attack and brought down his sword in a clean, lethal arc. His energy was waning; this method of picking them off one by one was draining, both physically and mentally.
Lew's mind raced for a solution. He could flee, using magic energy to enhance his speed, but that would leave his comrades behind. The sparrows, fast as they were, wouldn't stray far from their flock or forsake such easy prey.
The relentless attacks continued, each dodge and counterattack further sapping Lew's strength. He needed a strategy, and fast. His survival might not be in immediate danger, but the situation was growing increasingly dire by the second.
The intensity of the battle heightened as Lew finally spotted the Fire Invoker at work. Her red robes flowed as she stood resolute, directing a line of searing flames towards the flock of sparrows above. The sweat on her brow glistened under the relentless firelight. The air crackled with energy as she funneled her spiritual force into the fire crystal ring, the flames dancing eagerly to her command.
The fire leaped from bird to bird, a spectacle of flaming death. She pushed the flames, extending their reach to ensnare more of the winged assailants, conserving energy while maximizing impact. The Mage's group depended on her to keep the sparrows at bay, their survival hinging on her ability to sustain the attack.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
When the razor sparrows had first descended upon them, the group knew evasion was futile. The Enchanter, without waiting for an order, had immediately declared his intent to finish the birds in a single swoop. However, he required precious minutes to prepare, so the group instinctively formed a protective circle around him. The Fighters, minus their leader, scattered to distribute the birds' focus, a strategy to buy time.
The Elemental Mages, seasoned in collaborative combat, each assumed their role with practiced ease. The Earth Invoker erected barriers of soil and stone to shield the group from the most concentrated assaults. His energy flowed from the crystal anklet, materializing as formidable Earth Walls in sheer moments.
The Water Invoker parried individual attacks with her Water Rays, her movements fluid and graceful. Meanwhile, the Wind Invoker worked to hinder the sparrows' agile flight, surrounding the group with a whirlwind of Breeze, a gale that slowed their adversaries and provided a crucial edge.
Despite the occasional bird breaching their defenses, their plan was holding. The Earth Mage's swift construction of barriers held enough until the Fire Mage unleashed her fiery onslaught.
Lew knew their strategy couldn’t be sustained indefinitely. The Earth Mage’s rapid creation of Walls was a drain on his spiritual energy, a resource that was depleting fast. The balance they had achieved was precarious, a dance on the edge of a knife. They needed to end this battle swiftly, or they risked being overwhelmed by the unrelenting tide of razor sparrows.
The Water Mage was manipulating water from a large jar strapped to her back. With fluid motions, she formed Water Rays, deftly intercepting the smaller, less threatening attacks. Her technique, while not the most powerful, was effective due to its speed and agility, perfectly suited for warding off the swift razor attacks.
Occasionally, a stray bird would breach their defenses, aiming for the Enchanter at the heart of their formation. However, the leading Fighter would quickly dispatch these intruders, ensuring the Enchanter's uninterrupted concentration.
The battle's tide began to turn when the Fire Mage initiated her area-effect Fire Ray. Her tactic of passing the flame from one sparrow to another before they could plummet to the ground proved efficient. This method of manipulating the existing fire, as opposed to repeatedly casting the Fire Ray, was not only energy-efficient but also effective in thinning the flock.
Enchanters, known for their versatility in spellcasting, use Keys to transform magic energy into a variety of simple spells. Although their repertoire doesn't typically include powerful offensive spells, their adaptability can be formidable when applied creatively. Focusing solely on his incantation, the Enchanter had opted to delegate his defense to his companions.
Faced with a swarm of razor sparrows, he had chosen a Confusion Spell, designed to momentarily disrupt the minds of its targets. The spell's mechanism involved chanting a Key, which would be transmitted by sound and activated upon contact with foreign spiritual energy. While the spell's impact was meek, its complexity was such that only a select few Enchanters could cast it effectively.
The primary hurdle was the spell’s limited scope, typically affecting only a single or a handful of targets. Extending its influence to a multitude, especially one as vast as the flock of sparrows, was beyond the Enchanter's raw capabilities. But rather than casting individual Keys for each bird, he had a different strategy – employing a Spell Ritual Tool known as the Repeater Bell. This tool was specifically designed to amplify Mind Effect spells for larger groups, a costly and premeditated ritual that was now their best chance at subduing the avian threat.
As the Fire Mage continued her fiery battle and the other Elemental Mages conserved their strength, the Enchanter's focus remained unwavering. The fate of the group hung on the successful execution of his complex enchantment, a testament to their reliance on each other's strengths and the synergistic harmony of their combined abilities.
The battle was unfolding as the Enchanter meticulously set up his complex array of magical instruments. The MQ crystal took its place beside the ritual board, surrounded by a carefully arranged ensemble of ritual bells, a pack of herbs, and various other auxiliary materials. Each item was placed with deliberate precision.
He carefully positioned the Repeater Bell atop the board. With a practiced hand, he began to infuse it with energy from the MQ crystal, its surface beginning to emit a soft, pulsating glow. The Enchanter then consumed some herbs, their purpose mysterious to the onlookers, and entered a state of deep concentration. It was a ritual of mental fortitude, as he meticulously formed the spell Keys within the recesses of his mind.
Finally, the moment of activation arrived. He channeled his spiritual energy into the ritual board, triggering its latent powers. Simultaneously, he directed the MQ crystal's energy towards the bell. The bell responded, its glow intensifying, casting eerie shadows around the clearing.
Standing with an air of solemnity, the Enchanter commenced the spellcasting. He funneled the majority of his spiritual energy to forge a strong Key, then uttered the incantation through the bell with a voice that resonated with power:
"Confusio."
As the word left his lips, the Repeater Bell resonated, sending out ripples that disturbed the air. Thousands of replicated Keys, invisible to the naked eye, surged forth, carried by the spell’s sonorous waves. They traveled through the air, destined for the ears of birds and humans alike.
Upon entering the auditory system of their targets, the Keys interacted with the recipients' spiritual energy, triggering the Confusion effect. The immediate result was a jarring disruption of brain wave patterns, plunging the targets into a brief but profound disorientation.
For the Fighters, the effect was momentarily disarming. Their movements faltered, some stumbling and falling in their confusion. The Mages, too, were not immune; they lost their grip on their Elemental Spells, however briefly, disrupting their magical defenses.
But it was the razor sparrows that bore the brunt of the enchantment's power. Their flight patterns, once a synchronized display of predatory grace, descended into chaos. Disoriented and injured from the unexpected plummet to the ground, the surviving birds found themselves unable to regroup or defend against the Fighters who now advanced to deliver the finishing blows.
***
Karl sat solemnly under the shade of a towering tree near the fields, his gaze fixed intently on the green crystal nestled in his palm. The crystal shimmered with an inner light, but its beauty was overshadowed by the weight of recent events. The memory of Carion's death lingered in Karl's mind.
He couldn't shake the feeling that, in some way, he was accountable. He had rallied the village for hunting, crafted their weapons, and held Carion in his final moments. The burden of 'what ifs' haunted him – what if he had been more cautious, or developed superior weapons?
In the dreariness of the moment, Karl's contemplation was interrupted by Master AI's voice in his mind.
‘-- Hybrid elements emerge from the fusion of two elemental energies, each with distinct properties. Lightning, for instance, combines the fierceness of Fire with the swiftness of Wind. Magma merges the destructive force of Fire with the resilience of Earth. --’
‘-- Conversely, Bubble, a blend of Water and Wind, is versatile and light, while Wood, born from Water and Earth, is both flexible and sturdy. Lightning and Magma excel in combat, whereas Bubble and Wood have broader applications. --’
‘-- Elemental energies can also mix with Vital energies, creating unique hybrids. The Plant element, for instance, is a fusion of Life and Earth, inheriting the growth properties of Life and the nourishing qualities of Earth. --’
‘-- Similar to basic elemental crystals, these special hybrids can be found in areas of high energy concentration, within beast cores, or in certain exceptional trees. All plants possess plant energy, but plant crystals are rare, typically found in plant beasts or special trees --’
Karl, gazing at the crystal, let out a wistful smile, touched with bitterness. "I hope this plant crystal is worth it..."